Heart assist pump

Abstract

A temporary circulatory assist pump is disclosed for implantation in the heart of a patient through the femoral artery. The pump is driven by a flexible drive shaft extending through a catheter and being connected to a power source outside the body of the patient. The pump utilizes the moineau pumping principal to pump blood at a rate of approximately three to four liters per minute through the circulatory system of the patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A temporary circulatory assist pump, comprising: (a) an elongate, cylindrical biocompatible pump having at least one intake port and at least one discharge port, said pump being sized for passage through a human blood vessel and insertion in to a heart;   (b) said pump comprising a stator and a rotor whereby orbiting motion of the rotor moves a seal continuously through the stator for pumping of blood therethrough;   (c) wherein said stator and rotor define an axial cavity divided to form separate rotor cavities having separate outlet ports for discharging blood into a discharge duct in fluid communication with said separate rotor cavities;   (d) extravascular power means connected to said pump for driving said rotor; and   (e) drive shaft means connecting said pump means to said power means, said drive shaft means being connected to said rotor by a flexible joint, said flexible joint permitting flexure deformation thereby enabling said rotor to move through an orbital path upon rotation of said rotor by said power means.   
     
     
       2. The pump of claim 1 including a discharge nozzle supported within said housing in line with said stator, said discharge nozzle including a restriction for pressurizing and jetting blood pumped therethrough. 
     
     
       3. The pump of claim 1 wherein said pump means comprises a stator fabricated of resilient material and a helical shaped stainless steel rotor rotatable within said stator, said stator and said rotor cooperating to form a moving seal continuously through said stator upon rotation of said rotor. 
     
     
       4. The pump of claim 1 wherein said pump includes at least two separate intake ports in fluid communication with said separate rotor cavities formed in said pump. 
     
     
       5. The pump of claim 4 wherein said separate rotor cavities are separated by at least one shaft stabilizer supporting said rotor within said stator.